Mexican singer gunned down

Hours after denying reports of his death, El Shaka was shot...

11:58 28 June 2010

Mexican singer Sergio Vega (also known by his stage name El Shaka) has been shot dead.

The incident happened just hours after he had denied reports he had been murdered but also increased security after a number of fellow Mexican musicians were murdered.

Musicians performing 'narcocorridos' (songs which glorify the lives of drug barons) have become frequent targets of rival drug gangs.

Vega was gunned down on his way to a concert in Sinaloa state. Mexican media sources elorated, stating that he was driving his red Cadillac on Saturday night when a truck started following him.

Occupents in the truck opened fire, injuring Vega causing him to crash the car at which point the gunmen "finished Mr Vega off" with shots to the head and chest, El Debate reported the passenger of the car as saying.

Hours before the shooting, the victim told the entertainment website La Oreja that reports of his murder had been mistaken.

Vega stated at the time: "It's happened to me for years now, someone tells a radio station or a newspaper I've been killed, or suffered an accident.

"And then I have to call my dear mum, who has heart trouble, to reassure her."

He told the site that musicians performing Grupero music were concerned for their safety after Sergio Gomez, the singer of Grupero band K-Paz de la Sierra, was kidnapped and strangled to death in 2007.

At least seven Grupero musicians have been killed over the past three years.